FC Lugano Femminile started the season as obvious contenders for the Swiss title and possible outsiders in the 2019/20 women’s Champions League; the squad, consisting of 16 players who played in top American colleges and some young local prospects, was seen as a top team in NLA.
However, they started poorly: sitting at the bottom of the table after 5 matches and easily eliminated in Europe, with a 1-11 aggregate, by ManCity; after this shocking start, the club’s hopes were dashed even further when all the American players were forced to leave Switzerland due to work permit problems.
Massimo Migliorini was appointed as the new coach in that moment; the remaining roster was based on U19 players, so the club was seeking a coach with experience and success in player development, and he fit the bill due to his work with the U16 and U17 Italian national teams, as well as in Inter Milan women’s academy.
The Italian coach drastically changed the style of play, tactical concepts and the approach to matches, and in this tactical analysis, I will look into their uncommon attacking and defensive principles.
System and players
FC Lugano Femminile have used a 1-3-2-3-2 formation with three centre-backs and two wing-backs as well as two holding-midfielders and an offensive midfielder. Migliorini changed the midfield shape commonly seen in a 1-3-5-2 and Lugano are playing with a “triangle” with an advanced midfielder (Berthoud), supporting the two attackers, who is free to create numerical advantages either in the wide areas or in midfield.
The two forwards (local star Andreoli and the Swedish Johansson-Prakt, signed in the winter transfer window) are well balanced, technically gifted and good in 1v1 situations.
The productive winter transfer window saw Lugano welcome other newcomers in the form of midfielder Franco, centre-back Cecotti, the goalkeeper Haaland, right-wing Fischer and right-back Anna Bjorklund on loan from Sweden. Local prospects like Ubaldi, Bytyqi, Tonelli (team captain), Gianotti (2003) and vonBallmoos got real chances to show their talents.
Attacking
Lugano usually build up from the back, with the same number of players as their opponents in the first line, with the goalkeeper creating a numerical advantage. Most of the time the lateral centre-backs, Cecotti and Bjorklund, go wide while the wing-backs, one holding midfielder and the centre-back create a line of four behind the opposition forwards. If the opposition team has one striker only, the two remaining centre-backs push up in the second line, while Franco or Tonelli, the holding-mid, stays right above them, behind the opponents midfield.
Be
![Napoli Vs Chelsea [2–3] – Champions League 2025/2026: How Game Management Cost Antonio Conte – Tactical Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Napoli-Vs-Chelsea-20252026-350x250.png "Napoli Vs Chelsea [2–3] – Champions League 2025/2026: How Game Management Cost Antonio Conte – Tactical Analysis 3")
